Crows coach Brenton Sanderson plas to stop freewheeling Port Adelaide

ADELAIDE will seek to turn Sunday's Showdown into an old-fashioned scrap after watching Ken Hinkley rebuild the Power with deft short kicking and uncontested possessions.

Coach Brenton Sanderson wants to strangle Port's freewheeling ways with physicality and close checking and will be happy to replace flair with muscle as he coaches against mate Ken Hinkley for the first time.

The pair were team-mates and assistant coaches at Geelong together and have similar philosophies on the game but Sanderson will crank up the defensive dial against the Power.

"It won't be a pretty game," Sanderson said.

"Coming from the Geelong model ... some of the biggest games we played in weren't the prettiest games - it was just the side that could withstand the pressure for longer.

"I'm sure that will be the case on Sunday.

"They (Port) are certainly moving the ball really well.

"I mean they're the No. 1 in short kicks in the AFL and are taking a lot of uncontested marks.

"I think a free-wheeling game works in Port's favour.

"The way they played the last couple of weeks it has been open and I guess they've been able to dictate terms from an attacking point of view.

"Certainly the Adelaide Crows prefer to play in a scrappy, contested game rather than in an open, free-flowing game.

"Clearly, we'll have to prevent their short kick-mark game."

Port's midfield will make Patrick Dangerfield their first priority to shut down.

Adelaide - having noted Port's increased depth in the area through Chad Wingard and a fit Hamish Hartlett - are still likely to have the heaviest tag on captain Travis Boak.

But Sanderson stressed that Boak would be "one of many".

"We obviously respect the opposition and we'll have an even balance between attack and defence.

Adelaide has won the past three Showdowns and Sanderson has yet to lose to the Power.

However, he has watched closely as Hinkley began remodelling the team at Alberton.

And having been involved with Port Adelaide as a development coach back in 2006, Sanderson has a clear view of the dynamics of the local derby.

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